Hardys of Shirland

William Hardy and Elizabeth Turner Married at St Leonard's Parish Church, Shirland 29 September 1818

William Hardy and Matilda Midgley Married 30 December 1840 Rotherham, Yorkshire Matlida gave birth to a daughter (Anne) in 1846 Anne died in 1847

Matilda's parents (Samuel Midgley and Elizabeth Marples) Married 24 April 1818 at Duffield, Derbyshire

1851 William is listed has farming 18 acres of land

From the 1851 to the 1861 census there were 4 children born to Matilda. Arthur 1852, Emily 1853 (she died 1853) Elizabeth 1857, Albert 1859. This seems to be the end of Matilda's child bearing.

So we have:- William, Edwin, Alfred, Frederick, Arthur, Elizabeth and Albert

We should note that William was born out of wedlock and it seems that Matilda had William christened (William Midgley Hardy) William never married.

Edwin although he married a Jane Shasby also seems to have been childless, but Edwin and Jane did adopt a daughter we will look at Edwin and Jane later.

Alfred Hardy and Lavinia Cupit Married at St Mary's Parish Church, Nottingham 27 May 1867

Lavinia died 9 December 1876 age 32 years cause of death Strumous disease of the right knee joint. Which was a good job really otherwise we would not be HERE!

Alfred's wife Lavinia had died in December 1876. By 1878 Alfred was the talk of the village he had put the young lass Susannah in the pudding club that was supposed to be looking after Matilda and Alfred jnr. "For God's sake when will he grow up" sighed William "He be the death of me that lad".

But our Alfred had done the decent thing and had married young Susannah Pursglove on the 18 November 1878 at The Parish Church Eckington just 4 months after their baby boy Albert was born.

1881 Here at last William and Matilda Retired, all the kids flown the coop. happy time on census day 1881 with their Grand Daughters. Matilda (Alfred and Lavinia's daughter) Young Edith (Elizabeth's Daughter) Here from Manchester.

But Clouds of Sadness hung over our William and Matilda, For their love child William had died in February of this year. Was that the reason that Edith was here?

But if William thought their troubles with Alfred were over now, think again, for just a year later Alfred would not only be the talk of the Village but of the whole County! and sadly by the end of 1882 William and Matilda were dead and buried. Dying within 3 months of each other.

1882 In May of this year Alfred was sentence to 12 months hard labour for sheep stealing and served his time on the treadmill at Derby Prison.

On the 5th of August William died and on the 23rd November
Matilda died. not a good year for our Hardys.

Hardys of Shirland

Alfred Hardy and Susannah Pursglove Married at The Parish Church, Eckington, Derbyshire. 18 November 1878

On the 12th of January 1882 Susannah gave birth to Annie, Annie died 8th August 1882 cause of death Diarrhoea 8 weeks Exhaustion

James Christopher Hardy was born 24 March 1893 - On the 15th of July 1893 the day before Susannah's 32nd birthday Alfred died of Pnemonia and was duly buried on the 19 of July 1893.

The next 21 years Susannah was the head of the family business. With the help of Alfred jnr. her Stepson.

Susannah Hardy and Family (1901)

Matilda Hardy is shown on the 1901 census to be 33 years old working has a Domestic Cook at Norton, Derbyshire. Alfred the son of Lavinia Cupit after the death of Susannah on the 24 November 1914 finished up with the business.

Hardys of Shirland - Edwin Hardy - Jane Hardy - Susannah Hardy - Matilda Hardy
 Albert Hardy - Alfred Hardy's Will - Harriett Hardy's Will - Farehams - Bytheways of Staveley
Bytheways of The Croft - Tuckwoods